Fleet Farm Tire Center
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I'm feeling a bit attacked. How good of you to assume or extrapolate about my circumstances based on your own experiences.
Clearly, in the cv boot case, i took it to a shop because i didn't want to mess with it, (i'd done boot replacements and joint rebuilds before, and they're messy and ended up failing later on [i re-used worn parts to get the car on the road]) so i didn't stick around and annoy the guy. There's no value i can add in that process.
I have 2 safety inspections done on my race car every year and that is a modified vehicle and the tech ends up having a fair number of questions. And to be honest, most guys around here just aren't familiar with German cars. Telling a guy how to open the hood means I'm sticking around to head off other problems before they get worse. I don't fault these guys for not being familiar with my weird cars, nor do I act disrespectful or "hover" or anything. I stay off to the side unless they call me over to ask a question, but invariably we end up chatting and it seems to go well.
I've had 2 different cars aligned here at 2 different places. Part of this was me learning what shops not to bother with... a guy couldn't figure out how to align my stock Audi. The other case the shop was great and the guy was BSing with me the whole time as I explained my aftermarket toe/camber adjusters and other mods i had made to the car.
The point is -- If I'm going to PAY to have work done on the car, it's going to be with someone I have a previous relationship with and trust, or I'm going to be watching them like a hawk. Experience has taught me better than to just assume folks know what they're doing. The shop labor rate is entirely too high for me to not be completely satisfied with the experience.
I dropped off my new Audi at Valley for the "free 5k mile service" and was completely unimpressed. I asked the service writer to have the tech show me where the oil filter / access cover was while it was up on the lift and easy for everyone to see (these cars have a shit ton of plastic under them these days, and the fasteners and mounting points tend to be fragile) and while he agreed to do it, they "forgot" about it or whatever.
Yeah, I could jack the car up myself and find it myself, or, the guy could spend an extra 60 seconds and let me walk under the car while it's on the lift. They didn't, and to top it off they spilled oil on the valve cover (which has caused a burning-oil odor ever since) and the wash/dry kid ran drying towels over spots that hadn't been washed (if you're going to do a complimentary wash, don't do it wrong).
The quality of service was not worth what I "paid" for it and I said as much during the follow-up phone call i got.
I understand where you're coming from in terms of know-it-all customers, etc. I'm looking for a different level of service on the occasions that I pay for service, and shops that assume I don't want to be involved with the maintenance of my vehicle need not apply. I'm not the right customer for every shop, and conversely, every shop won't be able to earn my business. That's all.
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your comment about opening the hood brought something back to me. Specifically, the pry-marks on the front of my old honda's nose panel - the hoods on some of the early ones opened toward the front. confusing as hell to most people. "what do you mean, the latch is by the windshield?" hehe.
for the OP - my shop's policy is ask the boss, get permission, let them know at the very least, and THEN do whatever it is, on your own time. Same with my parents' business - ask first, then do (and don't overdo). Sucks you got fired, but it sounds like you were asking for it.. good luck finding another job, and maybe this time it'll be for a company whose policies aren't as shitty.
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OP-sounds like you broke the rules and lost your job, quit whining.
As far as the shop I work for it goes like this.
Work on your own car off the clock and you get parts at cost, don't charge yourself labor. Work on your own car on the clock and you lose your job. Work on another employee's car doing minor shit (tire repair, oil change, tire balance, etc...) and give them parts at cost and charge some labor. Work on another employee's car doing bigger shit and parts are 10% above cost and labor is $42/hr instead of the regular $65.
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